


To Tell A Tale

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-10-12
Updated: 2000-10-12
Packaged: 2019-05-15 01:36:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14781155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Trouble for the First Couple.





	1. To Tell A Tale

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

Notes: Thanks to Rhi for helping me with the evilness of this fic. :-)

Disclaimers: Just a poor college kid trying to find some entertainment.

Summary: Trouble for the First Couple.

Women love to gossip. There is just something about a female that makes her have to gossip. A curiosity. A compulsion. A need.

So, when a group of women, who have been friends longer than they've been married to their husbands, get together, one can only guess what will be doing.

Gossiping...

About men.

This small group of 5 women, gathered in the fancy office of the First Lady to all share stories about men. But not just any men -- their husbands.

"That's nothing Maggie. Just wait till you hear this one," A lady by the name of Rose Marie spoke up.

"We're listening." Diane said, leaning her body into the cozy little group.

"Okay, last year, when Rich and I were at my parents house, he decided that he wanted to go for a dip in the pool."

"Uh-oh." Patty said.

"Yeah, so he decides that he wants to go swimming, only he realized that he had no swim trunks. Being the dare-devil that he is, none of that really bothered Rich. He just went in his birthday suit."

"There's a climax to this story, right?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, there's a climax." Rose Marie answered. "Apparently, what he didn't realize was that Mom and Dad were on their way home, with several guests, for a pool party of their own."

"Oh no!" Abbey said through her laughs.

"Oh yes." She continued. "They all, all 10 or 15 of them, walked out back, to the pool, to find Rich, skinny dipping."

After all of the laughter subsidded, Abbey chimed in with a mischevious grin. "I can top that one."

"By all means, Abbey." Rose Marie motioned for Abbey to begin her story.

"Damn!" Maggie suddenly shouted.

"What?" Patty asked.

"I have to go. I have a meeting in half an hour, but I really want to hear this story." She explained.

"Why don't we all accompany you to your car, and Abbey can tell her story on the way." Diane suggested.

"Brilliant." Maggie replied, as the 5 women stood and moved out into the hallway.

After being surrounded on all sides, Abbey began. "The day that Jed took the oath of office, he was so nervous. So completely lost in himself. So, to relax himself, he decided that he would take some herbal pills designed to do just that."

"Wait a minute, I remember watching that on TV..." Maggie said with a smile in her voice.

"Me too. So there was actually a-" Patty began.

"Just let her tell the story, instead of assuming things." Diane interjected.

"Yes mother." Patty snapped.

"Enough you two, or you don't get to hear my story." Abbey looked up at her two friends, who quickly shut their mouths, then resumed. "Jed thought that he was taking herbal pills, but what he ended up taking, and I have no clue how he got a hold of it, but it was this pill that came from France... an illegal pill from France." Abbey paused.

"Ooooh, this is getting good." Diane said.

"Yeah, so the pill... it was way too strong for him, and he ended up passing out hours before he was to go take the oath."

"How'd you get him to wake up?"

"That's where this story really gets interesting." Abbey grinned, not realizing that their was a reporter following her and her friends with a voice recorder.

  

  


	2. To Tell A Tale 2

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

"Mr. President." Leo said wearily as he entered the Oval Office.

"Whatever it is Leo, it's going to have to wait." Jed responded, up to his neck in paperwork.

"I'm afraid it can't wait, Sir." Leo stepped further into the room.

"What is it?" Jed snapped.

"I think it's best I put the tape in, Sir."

"What tape?"

"Of CJ's press briefing." Leo said, making his way over to the TV and VCR. Popping the tape in, he turned back around to face Jed, who was now standing right behind Leo.

"Why am I going to be watching CJ's briefing? What happened?"

"Just watch the tape, Sir."

~~~

"What the hell do you think you were doing telling that stuff to a reporter?" Jed growled angrier than he has ever been in his entire life, as he shut the door.

"What are you talking about?" Abbey kept a calm, quiet voice, genuinely not having a clue what was bothering Jed.

"The day I took the oath, you told a reporter. How could you?"

"I didn't, Jed."

"Like hell! You are the only other person that knows about anything that really happened that day... till now!"

"What are you talking about?" Abbey asked.

Throwing the tape he just finished watching at her, he said, "That's what the hell I'm talking about." He paraded out of the room, faster, and louder than he entered.

  


	3. To Tell A Tale 3

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

When Jed left her office, Abbey picked the tape up and stared at it for a good two minutes before she decided to put it in her VCR and watch it. As she heard the questions pour out of the mouths of the very eager press corps, Abbey began to understand Jed's anger, for she was developing a very unhealthy dose of it herself.

How did anyone find out about this?

Did one of her friends talk to a reporter?

Jed...

How's she supposed to make it up to Jed? He is so pissed off... Could she make it up?

"Jed?" She apprehensively made her way into the Oval Office. When she got no response, she continued her voyage. "Jed, I'm sorry. I have no clue how-"

"Save it, Abbey." Jed barked. "If I didn't tell anyone, then you did. Maybe it wasn't a reporter that you told, but it was a reporter that heard it. And now, thanks to you and your big mouth, I'm going to be in a lot of trouble. So save it for someone who cares."

"I'm sorry, I made a mistake. I didn't mean-"

"Get out."

"Jed..."

"Get out now!"

~~~

"Jed, honey. Talk to me, please." Abbey pleaded as she placed a hand on her husband's arm later that evening, in bed.

"It's not enough that you tried to kill me, now you have to ruin me politically?" Jed shot at her.

"Excuse me?" Abbey adopted a tone of pure ice.

"You heard me."

"That was 20 years ago! And you promised to never, ever bring that up again." Abbey said, watching Jed jump out of bed. "Where the hell are you going?"

"I decided I can't sleep with someone I can no longer trust."

"Get back in bed." Abbey ordered, but Jed continued on his path out of the room. "Jed, get back here, we need to talk about this."

"I'm through talking with you." Jed said loudly. "Besides, you'll probably just run and tell the first reporter that you see."

  


	4. To Tell A Tale 4

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

"Jed!" Abbey stalked through the hallways after her husband. "Stop, please. We need to talk about this."

"I have nothing to say to you about this anymore." Jed continued with his fast pace.

"I screwed up. I'm sorry." Abbey began to run, to keep up. "If I could take it back, if I could fix this mess-"

"But you can't." Jed shouted. "You can't do it. You can't fix it. So leave me the hell alone."

Abbey sighed as she slowed herself down. Coming to a complete stop, she watched as Jed disappeared behind a corner. Then she slowly turned herself around and walked back to their room... alone.

Sinking into her bed, Abbey wallowed in self-pity for a good few minutes before she made a move to pick the phone up.

On the other end, CJ's voice answered, "CJ Cregg, how can I help you?"

"CJ, it's Abbey. I need to ask a favor of you."

"What is it?"

"Can you set a press conference up for me, for tomorrow morning?"

"I suppose I can, but why..."

"And don't tell my husband, either."

~~~

"Good morning." Abbey said, stepping up to the podium in the press briefing room. Immediately cameras flashed and reporters began to shout. "I'll take questions when I'm done. " She paused.

"The other day, while visiting with some old friends from school, things were said that shouldn't have been said." Abbey looked up and gazed into a light bulb of one of the cameras. "They shouldn't have been said, because they were a lie. They were a lie. I lied to my friends. I lied about your president. There is no possible way that I can be any more sorry than I am. I never expected for any of the wrong ears to hear my lies, nor for it to turn into such a big scandal. But it has, and for that I'm sorry. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize once more to my husband, and to my friends. I shouldn't have lied, I'm sorry."


	5. To Tell A Tale 5

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

To admit to a lie is a hard thing to do.

To admit you lied, when you told the truth is harder.

To admit you lied when you told the truth, and you are the First Lady of the United States, it's pretty much a bad thing.

From now on, anything that Abbey has to say will more than likely be questioned. Her name, her reputation... now ruined. No longer, will she be taken seriously in the political ring, or the professional ring.

And for what?

Jed had yet to talk to her. Jed had yet to come and visit her. Jed had yet to do anything.

Crashing into their bed, Abbey slithered up until her head was under her pillow. She kicked her shoes off, rolled over, and fell asleep.

~~~

The next morning, when Abbey woke up, she walked out of the bedroom and towards the dinning room. Making her way into her chair, she glanced over at Jed's empty seat.

Sighing, she picked up the newspaper.

The headline...

"PRESIDENT COMES CLEAN"

This headline intrigued Abbey, very much so. Putting her speed reading abilities to use, she scanned through the article.

Jed put out a statement, after her press briefing. A statement saying that everything Abbey had told her friends was the truth. All of it. He had accidentally taken some form of illegal drug, along with all the other things. Jed came right out and admitted to all of it.

"Damnit!" Abbey exclaimed.

She realized, as she read the paper, that her coming forward and lying and then his coming forward and telling the truth was only destined to screw her even more.

"Damnit!" She cried out again.

  


	6. To Tell A Tale 6

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

Thanks to Rhiannon for letting me borrow the Mad Hatter, if only for a moment.

It was at that moment that Jed chose to enter the dining room. Abbey's eyes immediately picked up at the figure moving to sit down.

"Jed." She acknowledged, letting the anger in her voice stand out.

"Abbey." He said with the same tone of voice.

"How the hell could you do this to me? I screwed myself professionally, by lying to the world. And you choose that moment to tell them the truth? Why?"

"I don't need you solving my problems. Nor do I need you to lie for me."

"Jed..."

"It's over with. Let's drop it."

"No, I will not drop it. You totally screwed me. I understand that I deserve to be in the dog house for what I did to you. But I fixed it, then you screwed me."

"Yes, yes I did."

"What the- Why?"

"Because I felt like it. That's why."

"Jed..." Abbey let the full force of her anger and her hurt filter into her voice. "I screwed up and caused you a problem... Worse still, I hurt you. I betrayed your confidence... and I lost a great deal of the trust that you had in me." Abbey looked at him with lightening in her eyes, "And... I shot myself in the foot trying to make amends for it. I have lost all credibility in the public's eye... not to mention my friends... But I was willing to deal with that, as long as I could fix this thing."

Jed looked up at her with an unrecognizable look in his eyes; He said nothing. He made no movement.

Abbey look a shaky breath, "And... and then you turn around and do this. You did this to hurt me." She swallowed hard, "Well, congratulations Josiah. You always succeed when you put your mind to something, don't you? Because if you were looking to punish me by hurting me... you damn well succeeded. I hope it makes you feel better." Abbey threw the newspaper on the floor and fled the room, tears in her eyes.

Jed looked after for a moment. He let out a defeated breath and buried his face in his hands.

  


	7. To Tell A Tale 7

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

Suddenly, Jed lost all interest in eating breakfast. He had actually wanted to come in and fix things with Abbey. He expected her to be angry, and he was going to play off of it and heal things between them. But, that didn't happen.

Instead, he feared he may have made it worse.

Getting up from the table, Jed hung his head down to the ground and walked towards his office. Only lifting it when Leo approached him, screaming his name.

"Leo, calm down. There's no fire."

"Oh, but there could be, sir."

"What?"

"Senator Russell put out a statement five minutes ago."

"What about?"

"Abbey."

"What's he saying?"

"He's bringing up the thing with her lying. Trying to apply it to everything she's said in the past. Also..." Leo trailed off as he looked his friend in the eye. He really didn't want to vocalize the last thing.

~~~

"Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence, Senator." Jed's voice was colder than ice.

"Mr. President," The senator acknowledged, moving into the Oval Office.

"Sit down, make yourself comfortable." Jed made no attempt to improve his tone.

"Why don't we just cut the pleasantries?"

"Fine, then. I'll get right to the point. Where the hell did you get your information that my wife almost killed me twenty years ago? And what gives you the right to spread it around?"

"As a citizen of this country, it is my obligation to inform the others-"

"Bullshit! Don't hand me that line, expecting me to buy it."

"Fine."

"Fine. Now, where the hell did you come across these outrageous claims?"

"You and I both know, Mr. President, that these claims are entirely accurate."

"I know nothing of the sort."

"It's good to see that the Mrs. isn't the only liar in the family." Senator Russell said smugly. "I have come across it from your own mouth, Mr. President."

"What?"

"God bless noisy secret service agents with an extremely loose tongue after work hours."

  


	8. To Tell A Tale 8

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

"Leo, I want him fired!"

"We're taking care of it right now, Mr. President."

"The secret service agent right out my bedroom door, Leo!"

"Yes, Sir."

"He let himself be bribed! Information on my life! And for what?!"

"A hell of a lot of money, sir."

"I'm going to kill him. No one messes with my wife like this. No one!"

"No one except for you?" Abbey's extremely upset voice came from the door of the Oval.

"Abbey," Leo nodded as he quickly retreated.

"Why is it that no one else can mess with me, but you can?"

"Abbey..."

"You're my husband, Jed. My husband. You're supposed to protect me when I need protection. Help me when I need help. Love me above all else."

"I do love you, Abbey."

"Then act like it, damnit! Act like it." Abbey moved further into the office and threw her jacket down on the couch. "I screwed up, Jed. I admitted that. And I apologized to you. I was even willing to hurt myself professionally to fix it all. In fact, I did. Yet you did all you could do to hurt me. You brought up that twenty year old incident, you put out that statement. And now you try to make it up to me by handling that agent?"

"Abbey, I..."

"Don't talk to me, I'm mad at you."

Without a word, Jed crossed his office and placed his hands on her shoulders. Gently massaging them, he spoke with a soft voice. "I'm sorry. I acted like a Jaskass. I hurt you when I should have forgiven you. I turned on you in your moment of weakness. For that, I am truly sorry." Jed moved around to the other side of the couch and sat down next to his wife, taking her hands into his. "I love you, Abbey. You know I do, and you know I'm sorry." Jed raised her hands to his lips and kissed them.

"I don't know anything." She said, as she took her hands from him, got up and left his office.

  


	9. To Tell A Tale 9

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

As Jed was left in the dust in his own office, he didn't know what to do. He had messed things up with Abbey, so very much. And he had absolutely no clue how he was going to make it up to her. But now wasn't the time to worry about that, for a knock sounded at his door.

"Come in." Jed called out.

"Mr. President, Ron Butterfield and Derek Armstrong are here to see you." Charlie poked his head in the Oval Office.

"Send them in."

"Yes sir." Charlie disappeared and soon after, two men appeared.

"Mr. President," Ron moved his hand out.

Jed extended his as well, "Ron." Then he turned his attention to the man standing to the right. "I assume you are Derek Armstrong."

"Yes, sir."

"Ron?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Can you step out for a minute?"

"Sir, I really don't think that that would be-"

"Now!" Jed hollered.

"Yes, sir."

~~~

Realizing she forgot her jacket in the Oval Office, Abbey quickly turned around to go fetch it. Well, she was going to have Charlie go fetch it. But as she got closer to the office she heard a voice shouting.

A male voice.

Jed's voice.

Shouting...

~~~

"Damn you little prick! What the hell do you think you were doing?"

"My job."

"The hell your job! I want to know," Jed seethed, "what damn right you think you ha-"

"Well, Sir," Armstrong smugly gave a hint of a smile, "I had the same dam right you had to get high! And the same damn right your wife had in overdosing you, putting you in a coma years ago. And the same damn right to do-"

"You son-of a-" Jed snarled as Armstrong stormed closer.

"And," Armstrong continued, ignoring Jed's outburst. "I was only doing my job... protecting you... including from yourself and your little lying wife there-" Armstrong was interrupted as Jed hurled a snow globe from off his desk in the direction of the agent.

From just outside, both Abbey and Ron raced into the office upon hearing the crash against the wall. Ron went directly over to Armstrong and yanked him out of the office, and Abbey...

She just stood there, looking at Jed.

TBC...


	10. To Tell A Tale 10

To Tell a Tale

by AJ

Gripping the edge of his desk, bracing himself, Jed was looking down as the anger flooded his emotions. The nerve of that guy...

Raising one hand, Jed began to rub his forehead... as he brought his gaze to his desk. To the empty space where a snow globe lay just moments ago. It was at that moment that he realized which globe he hurled at Armstrong.

"Damnit," Jed cried out as a tear fell from his cheek.

Knowing that Jed had no clue she was in the room, Abbey quietly walked over to him. Sure not to make a sound. Moving her hand up, she wiped his tear away, and couldn't help but smile when he jumped at her touch.

Looking deeply into her eyes, Jed said, "I'm sorry, Abbey. I didn't mean to break it. I'm sorry." Jed looked back down at the empty spot on his desk.

"It's okay," She smiled. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I broke the snow globe you gave me from Acadia National Park, when I proposed to you."

"I'm still mad at you for pulling me in that lake that day." Abbey smiled.

"Are you still mad at me for..."

"No," Abbey replied. "I forgave you a while ago. I just wanted to make you suffer."

"You're evil, you know that?" Jed grinned, pulling his wife close into him.

"Just enough," Abbey placed her head on his chest. "to be able to keep up with you."

"I love you."

"Yeah, me too."

"So, you forgive me, right?"

"Yeah." Abbey kissed his chest. "Forgive me?"

"Depends," Jed grinned.

"On what?"

Picking her head up off his chest, Jed answered with a question. "What are your plans later today?"

"Well, I..." Abbey's voice trailed off as she encompassed his mouth with hers.

THE END


End file.
